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MSP helicopters helping in search for missing 31-year-old

Posted at 11:15 AM, Feb 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-14 18:10:33-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Police are looking for 31-year-old Jamel Marcus Parker after he was last seen in the area early Sunday morning.

Grand Rapids Police believe Parker is involuntarily missing.  He was last seen running away from the 1500 block of Broadway

Jamal Parker

Jamel Marcus Parker

Avenue NW in the early morning hours of Sunday; between 3:00 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.. A missing persons report was filled out with the police department later that day.

On Monday, the police department was contacted about a shoe that was found near the Grand River near Ann Street SW that may belong to Parker.  Police say they have yet to determine if the shoe does belong to Jamel Parker.

“We’re always going to remain hopeful that Mr. Parker is alive," said GRPD spokesman Sgt. Terry Dixon. "We don’t have anything that suggests he’s not. So at this point we’re very hopeful that we’re going to find him intact and alive.”

“If you’re out there just let us know," said Amy Parker, Jamel's mother. "If you’ve got things going on, we’re here. We’ve always been here, we always will be. And hopefully everything works out.”

Parker is 5 foot 4 inches and 5 foot 5 inches, weighs 180 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.  They say he has a scar near his right temple.  Parker was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, a black sweatshirt, "medium blue" colored jeans and black "Air Force Ones" shoes.

Michigan State Police Aviation Unit and the Kent County Sheriff's Marine Unit are assisting Grand Rapids Police in the search Tuesday.  Police alerted residents Tuesday morning that helicopters above their neighborhoods are likely helping in the search for Parker.

Anyone having any information regarding the whereabouts of Mr. Parker is being asked to contact the Grand Rapids Police Department, at (616) 456-4683 or Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.